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Some things just go together -- and the obvious accompaniment to food is drink. Welcome to Booze52, in which we explore all manner of libations that do much more than just wash down a meal.

Today: The best before-dinner drink ever invented, plain and simple.

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Here’s a thing you may not know about cocktails: historically speaking, most of the fun ingredients that get mixed into our favorite drinks -- at least when these drinks were born -- were intended to mask the taste of cheap booze.

Thanks to a little thing called a top shelf, we don’t have to do that anymore, but with the Negroni, we were never allowed to do anyway. Here's why: it’s a storied drink layered completely with alcoholic ingredients. It has nothing to hide behind, and when made right, it shows.

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When General Pascal Olivier Count de Negroni (yes, he was real!) walked into a Florence bar back in the 1920s, he ordered an Americano with some important changes. “No soda—gin instead,” he said. He was a bright man. Bitter and herbal from Campari, warm from the gin, and smooth from the vermouth, this is one of the best before-dinner drinks ever invented, plain and simple.

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I spend about an equal amount of time behind the laptop and behind the stove. In between preparing and writing about food, I love to hang out with my husband, three children, big shaggy dog and two cats. History is also my thing, especially the Regency period, U.S. Westward expansion and World War II. Favorite drinks: good pinot noirs and classic martinis. Favorite book: Pride & Prejudice. Favorite obsessions: Laura Ingalls Wilder and South Dakota

The search for the perfect Negroni is a passion and we have found 2 things that make any acquisition all the better: 1) Uncle Val's gin. (OMG!) and 2) http://www.fixyourdrink... recipe cards. Never get a Negroni made with Campari again!

Ordering these can be risky - I've had some that were woefully unbalanced, and others which were so good I just had to indulge and order a second (Barbecoa in London made a great one). Good thing the first one I had was delicious, if the first one had been unbalanced I don't think I would have ever tried it again.

I love Campari and I can't drink gin, so I was happy to discover the "Negroni sbagliato" (in Milan it's just a "Sbagliato", which means "mistake" in Italian). It's made with the same Campari and red vermouth, but substitutes sparkling wine for gin (obviously the drier, the better)

I love a Negroni, however I prefer a different ratio. I use 2 parts Gin, to 1 part Campari and 1 part Sweet Vermouth. I use Hendricks Gin, Campari and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino. The orange twist (I use a section) is essential, as is a very large ice cube, I have an ice cube maker that makes a big ball of ice sitting in my highball glass. It really enhances your appetite!

Agreed--I like to play with the proportions. Equal parts is a bit sweet and I like to hoard my Campari. Another way to go is four parts gin, two parts campari, one part vermouth. This brings the Campari forward, and at the same time uses less of it. I recommend it.

Yes, Equal parts is a bit sweet for a before dinner drink. Hendricks..thumbs up. Less Campari allows the generous complexity of the Hendricks to smoothly makes it's way through and the campari is like the velvety red bow that wraps up the perfect present. Yummers on the Negroni! One of my top picks as well..I also like a nice Sidecar as a starter.

4:2:1 Sounds like a plan. Staying in today to cook up some NYC Blizzard fare-braised veal shanks, soft polenta and red cabbage braised in red wine with some Honey Crisps I picked up at the Union Sq farmers market. I'll give your variation a try to start it off! Why is 5 o'clock seem so far away???

You inspired me to create a new drink, a Margroni. The 4:2:1 ratio was very nice indeed, obviously a bit stiffer, more cocktailly less aperitivo. I am a Martini man. So tonight i made a Negroni/Martini and it was spot on! I took a shaker full of ice, threw in some Campari, and Dry Vermouth-then tossed it out. My classic in and out Martini. Then in with some Gin(Bombay Sapphire tonight), a hard shake and into my martini class with an Orange twist. Thanks for the inspiration.

Erika: Sorry so slow to respond--just saw this. Aimless is my funny nickname because I'm not aimless at all (although I *am* Amy). I like the Autumn Leaves cocktail. An unlikely alliance of Chile, Italy and Scotland, and a drink in which the flavors are so happily married that you cannot tease them apart. 1 ounce of Pisco Portón, 1 ounce of Drambuie, 1/4 ounce of Campari, 1/4 ounce lime juice. Shake on ice and garnish with lime and orange wedge. Complex and bewitching.

What a perfect lead-off for the series! The Negroni is one of my favorite drinks to make when I bartend; it's easy to put together but seems much more magical than the effort that goes into it. I also like to use Plymouth, and I will always choose Carpano Antica as the sweet vermouth.